Electric can opener



Feb. 3, 1959 f B, KLASSEN 2,871,559

ELECTRIC CAN OPENER Filed July` 15, 1957 United States Patent i ELECTRIC CAN OPENER Bernard Klassen, Fremont, lCalif., assignor to Klassen Enterprises, Inc., Hayward, Calif., a corporation of California Application July 15, 1957, Serial No. 671,867

12Cialms. (Cl. 30-4) This invention relates to electrically driven can openers particularly adapted for household use and specifically relates to an automatic device of simplified nature having positive action at fingertip control for both piercing a can lid and removing same in one simple operation.

There have previously been developed various types of mechanized can openers varying from hand driven models to powered openers; however, in the eld of powered can openers a universal difficulty has arisen in the apparently necessary complexity of the device to provide the degree of automation required to satisfactorily distinguish same from hand operated openers. This complexity is found in the multiplicity of elements and the required precise interaction thereof heretofore necessary to perform the various functions leading to automation. This complexity is disadvantageous for a variety of'reasons, as for example, the high cost of manufacture and repair as well as the multiplication of possible or even probable sources of wear or other failure.

While an automatic powered can opener has readily evident advantages over conventional hand operated devices, yet economic competition therewith requires a somewhat competitive pricing and a high level of reliability. This can only be achieved through a simplification of controls and operating mechanism.

The present invention achieves the desired simplification of structure without sacrificing any of the desirable features of automatic powered operation. Thus the present invention provides one simple control element which serves to actuate and deactuate the opener with all functions of @can gripping, lid piercing, and lid removal being fully automatic. Additionally, the present invention has certain advantages over known powered can openers in that an improved can gripping and lid cutting structure is provided and small delicate parts are wholly eliminated to the end of maximizing longevity and reliability of the opener.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved and simplified electric can opener.

It is `another object of the present invention to provide a simplified electric can openerhaving an improved can gripping and cutting means.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fully automatic electric can opener having a minimum number and complexity of operating parts.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the above-noted drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the electric can opener of this invention with portions of the housing broken away as indicated.

.nection of the other spring end to a fixed pin 44 mounted ice Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken at 2 2 of Figure 1 and showing the opener in normal unactuated position.

Figure 3 is a partial front elevational view with the housing front removed and showing the opener in actuated position.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken at 4--4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a shortened transverse sectional view taken at 5-5 of Figure 3.

The present invention in general comprises a can drive wheel 11 adapted to fit beneath a peripheral bead 12 about the top or lid 13 of a can 14 and a cutter 16 adapted to pierce the can lid 13 for cutting same upon can rotation by the can drive wheel. Powered operation of the opener is provided by a motor 17 such as a conventional fractional horsepower electric motor connected to the can drive wheel operatively positioning the cutter 16 and energized through the medium of a control means 18.

Considering now the invention in some detail and referring to the drawing there will be seen to be provided a housing 21 substantially enclosing the can opener mechanism and adapted for mounting upon such a wall or the like =as by means of a rigid back plate 22 that may be pierced for screws or may carry suitable attachment means mating, for example, with mounting means aixed to a wall. A main shaft 23 is mounted for rotation between the back plate and a thick front plate 24 as by means of bearings 26 fixed in or on these plates and the can drive wheel 11 is affixed to the outer end of this shaft exteriorly of the housing 21 for rotation with the shaft. This main shaft is adapted for rotation by the electric motor 17 having a shaft 28 extending therefrom with a small gear 29 thereon engaging a large gear 31 ailixed to the main shaft 23. The motor 17 is removably mounted in a separable motor mount 32 secured yto the back plate 22 and having a bearing 33 attached thereto. Motor shaft alignment and support is provided by another bearing 34 thereabout mounted in a bracket 36 extending between the rfront and back plates and fixing the former upon the latter.

As regards the cutter 16, the same is preferably provided as an elongated member secured at one end to a short cutter shaft 37 and having a tapered edge at the other end with a pointed leading corner. The cutter shaft 37 extends through the front plate 24 with an eccentrically anged outer end bearing thereon and a machine screw or the like 38 xing the cutter thereto. About the cutter shaft ange is positioned a freely rotatable oating disc 39 having a grooved periphery with the groove offset outwardly of the disc, and this disc has a suflicient diameter to extend substantially to the can drive wheel 11 when the eccentric shaft ange is pivoted downward toward same. Free rotation of the disc 39 may be accomplished by providing same with a slightly smaller thickness than the cutter shaft flange and as may be seen in Figure 4 this disc in operated position fits over the can bead 12 to hold the can 14 onto the opener.

The cutter 16 is adapted to rapidly pivot from a generally horizontal or raised inoperative position away from .the can drive wheel into an operative generally vertical position overlying the wheel, and to this end a disc 41 is securely fixed to the inner end of .the cutter shaft 37 with a pin 42 extending transversely through the disc near the periphery thereof. A spring 43 is compressed between the disc 41 and front plate 24 so as to force the disc away from the front plate and to thereby hold the cutter shaft against axial displacement. Also, this spring43 operates as a torsion spring by connection of one end thereof over the pin 42 on the front side of the disc 41 and con- .0.1.1 the inner face of vthe front plate 24. The spring 43 urges the cutter shaft to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed from the front of the opener and the extent of this rotation is limitedby positioning the fixed pin 44 ,to intercept a shoulder 45 formed on the disc 41. Disc and pin positioning are related to the cutter direction Of extension so that the cutter shaft is arrested with the ecentrically elongated flange thereof and the cutter disposed vertically, i. e., in full engagement with a can.

Control of the cutter position is provided by a lever 46 mounted in radial extension from a cylinder 47 carriad by a fixed shaft 48 extending between and connected to the front and back plates. A spring 49 is wound about this shaft in compression between the back plate 22' and cylinder 47 so as to urge the latter frontwards of the device and this spring also operates as a torsion spring by connection of one end to the back plate and the other end to the lever 46 for rotating the lever counter clock wise. The latter mentioned fixed shaft 46 is mounted generally parallel to the main shaft 23 somewhat above and to the right thereof as viewed in Figure l, and the lever 46 has sufficient length to strike the main shaft immediately ahead of the large -gear 31 thereon. The top of the lever 46 has a notch 51- formed in the flat upper surface thereof adapted toreceive the pin 42 on the cutter shaft disc 4l. and a substantial depth with a slanted leading edge adapted to ride upwards upon a sector cam 52 fixed to the main shaft in spaced relation ahead of the gear thereon.

Actuation of the electric can opener is accomplished by a control lever 53 pivotally mounted as by a hinge pin 54 on the left side of the front plate 24 and extending across the front plate as in a cut out therein with a bar 56 depending from a rearward lever extension behind the front plate. This control lever bar 56 is disposed vertically in front of the lever 46 so that pressing the control lever inward contacts the bar and lever 46 to force the latter back out of alignment with the sector cam 52 against the resistance of the spring 49. With the lever moved away from the cam 52 and held there by the con trol lever bar the torsion spring 52 rotates the lever counterclockwise until it rests upon the main shaft 23. It is in this lever position that the can opener is operable.

One further function is performed by the control lever 53 and that is the energization of the electric motor 17. This is accomplished by the provision of a motor switch 57 on the front plate with a push button Contact in line to intercept the control lever in depressed position so as to close the switch and energize the motor.

Considering now the operation of the electric can opener and the interrelation of the above described elements thereof in both normal and actuated positions, reference is first made to Figures l and 2 showing the can opener in normal or deenergized position. As willbe seen from these figures the lever 46 is disposed in vertical alignment with the cam 52 on the main shaft 23 and retains the pin 42 in the lever notch 51 so as to prevent rotation of the cutter shaft 37 and pivoting of the cutter 16, which in this position is disposed away from the can drive wheel 11. The lever 46 is maintained in engaging disposition with the pin 42 by the spring 49 which urges the lever cylinder 47 forward against the front plate 24 and by the bearing force of the pin 42 in the lever slot i. With the control lever 53 not depressed the can opener is at rest or in unactivated or normal position with the motor 17 deenergized.

tilization of the can opener is easily accomplished by placing a can 14 against the front of the opener with the can bead 12 upon the can drive wheel 11. With a can so positioned it remains only to depress the control lever whereupon the oating disc 39 is pivoted onto the can bead to Igrip same and the cutter rapidly pivots downward to wedge against the can lid 13 adjacent the bead and the motor is energized to turn the can drive wheel toward the cutter point whereby axial teeth or flutes about the periphery of the wheel drive the can around so that the cutter pierces the can'lid and slices oif the can lid. `.l-elease of the control lever 53 causes the cutter and floating disc to be pivoted back up to normal or rest position and the can drive wheel to cease rotation so that the opened can is released for removal.

As to the sequence of operations of the can opener elements during the above described usage of the can,

opener, depression of the control lever 53 causes the bar 54 thereof to engage the lever 46 and move same backwards by sliding the lever cylinder 47 along the shaft 48 against the pressure of the spring 49. With the lever 46 moved backwards the torsion of spring 49 rotates the lever downward onto the main shaft 23 behind the cam 52 and the pin 42 is released so that the Cutter spring 43 very rapidly pivots the disc 41, and thus the cutter 16 through the shaft 37, until the disc is arrested by engagement of the shoulder 46 thereon with the fixed. pin 44. The floating disc is thus pivoted downward into gripping relation with the can bead and the cutter is then in a generally vertical position overlying the can drive wheel 11 in wedgng relation to -a can lid.k As an additional result of control lever depression the motor switch 57 is closed to energize the motor 17 so that same rotates the shaft 28 thereof and through meshing gears 29 and 31 rotates the main shaft 23 and attached can drive wheel 11. With the control lever depressed the cutter wedged against the can lid pierces same and cuts the lid about the rim thereof as the can is rotated by the can drive wheel. Release of the controlV lever removes the force on the lever 46 so that the spring 49 moves the lever 46 and cylinder 48 forward to align the lever with the cam 52 or at least the lever moves into this position as soon as vthe sector cam 52 rotates out of the way. Although the motor 17 is deenergized by release of the control lever 53 the interia of the motor causes same to continue rotating so that the sector cam 52 moves around under the lever 46 and forces same upwards as the slanted leading edge of the lever rides on the rotating cam. As the lever 46 rises itengages the pin 42 on the disc 41 of the cutter assembly and forces same to swing upwards thereby rotating the disc 41 against the torsion pressure of the spring 43. As the cam reaches maximum height above themain shaft the lever 46 is disposed so that the pin 42 falls into theV lever notch 51 and is retained therein. as the pressure thereof against the lever 46 from the spring 43 aids in holding the lever in this position while the cam moves out. from under sarne. AThis cam driven lever elevation which pivots the pin 42 and disc 41 also pivots thev floating disc and cutter 16, via the cutter shaft 37, upwards away from the can so that same is free' for removal from the can opener with the lid thereof neatly severed about the periphery thereof.

It will be seen from the foregoing that an entirely automaticA operation results upon depressing the control lever of the canropener in that the cutter swings downward and pierces the can lid at the edge and the can is rotated so that the cutter severs the lid and upon release of the control lever the cutter pivots upwards out of the can and can rotation ceases so that the opened can maybe readily removed.`

What is claimedY is:

l. An electric can opener comprising a can drive wheel, an electric motor having an energizing switch and connected to rotate said can drive wheel7 a cutter pivotally mounted with a normal position displaced from said can drive wheel'and an actuated position overlying and adjacent same, control means for operating said motor switch, and spring means pivoting said cutter from normal to actuated position in wedgingY relationV to the lid of a can on said wheel upon operation of said control means whereby Wheel rotation causes said cutter to pierce the can lid` and sever same. n

2; An electric can opener as claimed in claim 1 further defined by said control means additionally coinprising cam means for repositioning and raising said cutter from actuated to normal position at the time of motor deenergization, said cam means being operatively connected to said motor for rotation thereby.

3. An electric can opener comprising rotary can gripping means, an electric motor connected to said can retaining means and having a control switch, a spring loaded cutter having an actuated position in overlying relation to at least a portion of said can gripping means in piercing relation to a can lid and a rest position pivoted away from actuated position, and control means movable to close said motor switch and retain same closed during control means movement, said control means further including cutter retaining means holding said cutter in normal position against spring pressure until control means movement releases same whereby said cutter rapidly and automatically pivots from rest to lactuated position, and means driven by said motor returning said cutter to rest position upon control means return.

4. An electric can opener comprising can gripping and rotating means geared to an electric motor having a stop-start switch, a spring loaded cutter pivotable by spring pressure from a rest position into forceable engagement with the edge of the lid of a can gripped by said can gripping means, a spring loaded lever normally connected to said cutter for retaining same in rest position, a cam rotatable by said motor for engaging said lever to reset said cutter in rest position, and control means having a normal and operating position and disposed to close said motor switch in operating position and to displace said lever for releasing said cutter to pivot from rest to actuated position and releasing said lever in normal control means position to return said lever into cam alignment for resetting said cutter in. rest position by said cam through said lever.

5. An electric can opener comprising can gripping and driving means secured to a gear shaft having a sector cam thereon, an electric motor geared to said shaft and having a control switch, a cutter spring-loaded to pivot from a rest position into an actuated position overlying said can gripping and driving means for piercing the lid of a can gripped therein adjacent the can lid periphery upon can rotation, a lever spring-loaded to move toward a cutter pin for retaining said cutter in rest position and torsion loaded to rotate away from said cutter pin, said lever being aligned with said sector cam and pin whereby said cam rotates said lever into engaging relation with said pinwand is pressure retained thereat, and control means movable from a normal to an actuated position in alignment to close said motor switch and to displace said lever from engagement with said cutter pin to release said cutter and position said lever out of alignment with said sector cam whereby said can retaining and drive means rotates with said cutter in overlying relation thereto and releasingsaid lever upon control means return to normal position for realigning said lever and cam to reengage said lever with said cutter pin and pivot the cutter away from said can gripping and drive means while deenergizing said motor.

6. An electric can opener as claimed in claim 5 further dened by cutter mechanism comprising a rotatably mounted shaft carrying said cutter at one end thereof and at the other end a disc having said pin tixed therethrough, a torsion spring wound about said shaft and connected to said disc pin for urging said shaft to rotate for rapidly ldisplacing said cutter from rest to actuated position upon pin release by said lever.

7. An electric can opener comprising rigid front and back walls having a shaft rotatably mounted therebetween with a gear thereon and a can drive wheel in front of said front wall, an electric motor mounted on one of said walls and having a gear engaging said shaft gear for rotating same and a control switch, a sector cam on said shaft, a cutter assembly lincluding a cutter in front of said wall 011 a spring loaded cutter shaft rotatably mounted through said front wall with a disc thereon between said walls having a pin extending therefrom over said sector cam, a lever extending from a cylinderl spring loaded on a further shaft between said front and back walls with said lever urged into position overlying said sector cam in retaining relation to said cutter pin and torsion loaded to pivot on to said shaft, and control means including a pivoted lever engaging said motor switch and movable to contact said lever for forcing same away from said cutter pin and cam whereby control means movement releases said cutter and energizes said motor and control means return positions said lever over said cam for returning said cutter pin and thus said cutter to original position upon motor deenergization.

8. An electric can opener as claimed in claim 7 further detined by a fixed pin on the back of said front wall, a torsion spring about said cutter shaft secured to said fixed pin and to said-disc pin for rotating said cutter shaft, and said disc having a shoulder thereon disposed to engage said fixed pin for arresting cutter shaft rotation when said cutter is in overlying relation to said can drive wheel.

9. An electric can opener comprising a can drive wheel mounted for rotation by an electric motor on a fixed plate, a cutter shaft mounted for rotation through said plate adjacent said can drive wheel and carrying an elongated sharpened cutter thereon adapted to overlie said can drive wheel, a freely rotatable disc having an offset peripheral groove mounted eccentrically upon said cutter shaft for movement into proximity with said can drive wheel for engaging and retaining with said can drive wheel a can by a bead about the lid thereof, a torsion spring urging said cutter to rotate toward said can drive wheel, means arresting rotation of said cutter at a position overlying said can drive wheel, and control means for energizing said motor and including cam and lever means for retaining said cutter in displaced position with respect to said can drive wheel and releasing same therefrom while returning same thereto following control means release.

ll0. An electric can opener comprising a can drive wheel adapted to engage a can beneath a bead about the lid thereof and to rotatae for turning the can, an electric motor connected to said can drive wheel for rotating same, a shaft having a freely rotatable disc eccentrically mounted thereon n the plane of said can drive wheel, said disc having a peripheral groove and disposed to move by shaft rotation from retracted position to actuated position in proximity with said can drive wheel for engaging the bead of a can on the latter, a cutter affixed to said shaft for movement with said disc to press against the lid of a can held between said wheel and disc on the side thereof toward which said wheel rotates, and control means having an actuated position energizing said motor and turning said shaft to dispose disc and cutter in actuated position whereby said cutter is wedged against the lid of a can rotated by said wheel to pierce the lid and sever same with continued can rotation and a rest position deenergizing said motor and returning said disc and cutter to retracted position.

l1. An electric can opener comprising a can drive wheel, an electric motor operatively connected to said drive wheel for rotating the same, a switch for energizing said motor, an elongated cutter having a cutting edge adjacent one end thereof an-d pivotally mounted adjacent the other end thereof, means normally maintaining said cutter in a raised inoperative position, spring means normally urging said cutter downwardly and towards said drive wheel, a pivotally mounted control member movable to disengage said means for retaining sai-d cutter in an inoperative position and actuating said switch, and motor driven means raising said cutter upon release of said control .membeiz 12. Apparatus as set'forth in claim 11 including a rtatable disc operatively connected to s'aid cutter and movable therewith from and towards said drive Wheel to 5 engagea can bead between said Wheel and disc.

References Cited in the file of this patent Leitch May 23.. 1950 Raab June 5, 1951 l Wiblng Jan. 22, 1952 Lawrence Oct. 2.8, 19552 Herrick May 15, 1956 

